ANZAC day is a time to honour and remember men and women that have served our country.

Alan Thompson, 94 from Beaufort served in the RAAF during the Second World War.

While some of the memories of battle are still on Alan's mind, he still holds a strong sense of pride and says his service made him a better man.

"I'd hate to be alive today had I not played my part."

His father

Alan's mother Alice gave birth to him while his father, Henry Frederick Thompson was serving in France during World War One.

Having lived with his grandparents and not seeing his father until he was three-years-old, he admits it was difficult when his father returned from service.

This is something that still upsets Alan to this day.

"That is one of the most unfortunate things about war."

His father received a distinguished conduct medal in 1917 - a document, an honour - that Alan still cherishes dearly today.

However, he never found out exactly what the medal was for.

"I'm afraid my father never spoke very much of what happened except dreadful conditions that they had there."

A letter addressed to his mother in December 1917 read:

"Whilst consolidating and constructing an important post he showed great courage and initiative in taking charge of the working party after their officer had been wounded, and completing the work in the most effective manner under heavy fire. His example had splendid effect upon the men."

Serving in WWII

In 1941, Alan decided he would join Air Crew and become a pilot.

But an Ishihara test for colour blindness found he couldn't tell the difference between red and green, and therefore he couldn't become a pilot.

He eventually came to serve in the RAAF as an air navigator, at one point working as the only Australian with a crew of Americans.

Alan got married in 1942, but not without incident.

He met Beryl at a dance in Beaufort and was due to marry her in January 1942.

But after the Japanese entered the war late in 1941 all leave was cancelled and Alan was forced to postpone his wedding.

Settling in after returning from service

Like many servicemen, when Alan returned from the war he came home to nothing.

But he was lucky enough to be issued with one of the region's first Soldier Settlement blocks after the Second World War.

"These settlement blocks were an improvement on what they had in World War One, they were bigger acreages, we only paid 2 per cent interest on the money owing."

"They put a house on it, a shed and made sure it was a workable area."

He says they struck some good seasons on the farm growing wheat, oats, grain and had merino sheep, fat lambs and an Angus cattle stud.

Remembering

The memories of battle still stick with Alan today and for that reason, ANZAC Day means a lot to him each year.